Burnout: Risk Factors and Associations

Burnout is a psychological reaction to unmanaged chronic workplace stress that occurs across three dimensions: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. High rates of burnout have been observed in a wide range of professions, including healthcare and teaching; burnout has also been observed in unpaid work such as caregiving and parenting. Burnout is associated with reduced work performance and poor self-image, in addition to adverse mental and physical health outcomes ranging from major depressive disorder to type 2 diabetes. Burnout may influence health outcomes primarily via changes in health behaviors, such as increased alcohol consumption, but some evidence suggests that burnout can impact health independently of health behaviors. While the physiological underpinnings of burnout remain poorly understood, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation and changes in DNA methylation patterns may be involved. Various interventions to reduce or prevent burnout have been tested; while mindfulness- and exercise-based interventions appear promising, results have been inconsistent. Further prospective research using higher-quality designs is needed to improve the scientific understanding of the causes and consequences of burnout.